Jealous Elizabeth
by 2queens1prince
Summary: One shots of jealous Elizabeth Chapter 1: Vera Petrovic is on Elizabeth's reject list for the replacement Mrs. McCord (Tamerlane). Filling the prompt jealous Elizabeth and the Tumblr prompt "I'm not jealous." Chapter 2: Elizabeth has reason to be jealous when she returns from Iraq.
1. Vera Petrovic

AN: Vera Petrovic is one of women that Elizabeth names as a no go for the second Mrs. McCord, should she not return from Iran. (Tamerlane episode) The prompt for this is jealous Elizabeth without the angst. :)

AN2: I already had this written when I got the prompt from Tumblr, "I'm not jealous."

Elizabeth stood at the counter pouring her coffee as the rest of the McCords buzzed around her in their own bubbles preparing for their day. Henry held out his hand to take the coffee pot from her and when she turned, her eyes fell to the stack of papers he'd laid on the corner of the island. "Cocktail reception?" she murmured glancing at the invitation on top.

"You interested in going Madam Secretary?" Henry asked, stepping behind her, planting a kiss on her neck. "I could use some arm candy." She stifled a chuckle.

"You know how much I love those kinds of events. Stuffy people in stuffy clothes, talking religion. Really babe, what's not to love?"

"So let me guess, you'll be working late," Henry grinned.

"Depends. When is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"Next Thursday."

"Yep. I'm sure I will be. Remind me to have Nina add that to my calendar." She turned to face Henry. "I love the fact that you don't make me go to these formal religious gatherings that I hate. I promise you will be handsomely rewarded Thursday night when you get home." She grabbed him by the tie and kissed him. "Gotta go babe. Love you."

He smirked as he watched her go. "Love you too." Henry reached down and opened the card. "Celebrating Vera Petrovic," he mumbled under his breath. "Dodged a bullet there." Picking up the stack of papers, he headed out to work himself.

The rest of the the week went by without major international incident. It wasn't until Tuesday the following week that the reception even crossed Elizabeth's mind. Nina poked her head around the corner. "Madam Secretary, is there some specific reason I have it penciled in your schedule that you will be working late on Thursday? I don't see any reason you would need to be."

Elizabeth laughed. "Henry has a reception thing at Georgetown that night and I don't want to go, so I told him I would be working late."

"Dr. McCord is invited to the Vera Petrovic reception? How exciting is that? Lucky him. She's a fantastic-"

"Wait! Nina, did you say the reception is for Vera Petrovic?"

"I would assume ma'am. She's giving a lecture on Friday. I can check into it if you want."

"Please do and let me know ASAP. My Thursday plans may have suddenly changed." Nina scurried out of the office and Elizabeth spun her chair to face the window. She took a deep breath and tried to tamp down her feelings about Dr. Petrovic. "Bitch," she muttered, then laughed. "Good grief, woman. It's been, what, twelve years. You could let it go." She closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of the chair. She stayed there a full minute before her eyes popped open and she sat straight up. "Nope! Twelve years isn't quite long enough."

Elizabeth spun around in the chair and pushed the call button on her phone. "Nina. Is the Thursday reception for Dr. Petrovic?"

"Yes ma'am. I was just about to let you know," Nina sounded a bit flustered. She didn't like to appear not to have all pertinent information at the ready. It wasn't even so much for the Secretary, but Blake was always lurking around checking up on her. She wanted him to see her as a capable assistant.

Elizabeth seemed unphased by it. "That's great. Can you call and make Henry a plus one and please see if Roxanne can give me a call? I'll need something special for this event."

Late that afternoon, Roxanne paraded through the 7th floor with a rack of dresses that made the men and women alike turn their heads. "Umm, someone is trying to make a statement," Daisy hummed in response to Matt's gasp.

"And exactly what statement would the Secretary be trying to make? I'm guessing she's not trying to pick someone up," Matt asked.

"My guess? She's marking her territory." Matt looked over at Daisy, somewhat bewildered, causing Daisy to roll her eyes. "I can damn well think Henry McCord is a fine specimen of a man, but you can bet there is no way in a million years that I'd make a move on him."

"So you're saying that someone has and MSec is making sure Henry knows what's up?" Matt asked.

"I bet it's more of a message to whoever was dumb enough to do it. But, office gossip talk is officially over. We both have work to do." Daisy disappeared, leaving Matt standing in the middle of the hall looking lost.

"Madam Secretary. I brought several dresses for you to choose from, although they are quite different from what you typically request," Roxanne stood by the rack, waiting for Elizabeth to come from behind her desk.

"It's an atypical event," she murmured, rounding the corner. "So let's see what we have."

Thirty minutes later, Roxanne breezed out and a garment bag hung on the closet door. "I'll send shoes and everything else you need over in the morning."

"Thanks, Roxanne. Until next time." Elizabeth turned back and disappeared into her office.

She flopped down on the couch and thought about calling Henry. She was torn between wanting to walk in on his arm or appearing slightly late and make an entrance. Elizabeth grimaced. "I'm thankful that I don't get this riled up in general. Jealousy is exhausting." She swung her feet up and closed her eyes.

August 2006

"Vera. I'd like you to meet my wife, Elizabeth." Elizabeth smiled and dutifully shook the woman's hand politely, trying to ignore the fact that all of the hairs were standing at attention on the back of her neck. Vera Petrovic was doing a year long sabbatical at UVA. A renowned religious scholar hailing from Greece, Vera had the entire staff at her beck and call, and Henry was no exception.

In the car, he'd acted like a teen girl on the way to her first boy band concert. His voice had raised an octave as he rattled off her many accomplishments. Elizabeth smiled and acknowledged him in all the right places. It was an equal part of adorable and nauseating to listen to Henry be so excited. He got this way every time a visiting religious scholar came to UVA. Last year it had been Robert somebody or other, and the year before that, Karen Armstrong. She smiled. Elizabeth was glad that he had opportunities like this to meet contemporaries. She truly believed that until the moment she met Vera Petrovic.

The woman had black hair wound into a fashionable twist on top of her head. She was well proportioned with large breasts and a round, firm butt. Vera's facial features were sharp, her eyes piercing and the corner of her mouth turned up just so when she spoke to Henry. Everything he said was just a little more insightful, just a little wittier, just more of everything. Her eyes bored into Henry as they spoke and Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably, slipping her hand into Henry's, although he seemed not to notice.

Elizabeth was unusually self conscious. She smoothed the front of her rather plain looking dress and regretted her decision to just pull her hair back and clip it. As the back and forth banter continued, Elizabeth found little she could contribute and that added to her insecurity. Of course there was also the fact that she and Henry were just coming out of a really tough time in their marriage. Things were better now, but that hadn't been the case a few months prior. She watched the two. Henry looked like a puppy, so eager to share ideas with this person who was his intellectual equal. And Vera, well, she looked like a lion ready to take out the unsuspecting gazelle.

Normally, during these types of gatherings, Elizabeth would wander away from Henry and sit with the spouses and talk kids and sports and lament when their spouses were knee deep in writing projects, but that wasn't the case this night. Vera Petrovic stayed close to Henry and Elizabeth stayed closer,

On the way home that evening, Henry prattled on about his conversations, oblivious to the fact that Elizabeth had been standing there for all of them. "I don't like her." Elizabeth said, interrupting Henry.

"Who?" Henry asked shocked. Elizabeth may have people she didn't care for, but for the most part she was civil and didn't talk about it.

"Vera. She likes you. A little too much for my liking," Elizabeth sulked.

A wide grin broke across Henry's face. "Are you jealous?" He started to chuckle, but when Elizabeth turned to look at him, he saw the hint of fear in her eyes, and he stopped. "You have nothing to worry about. I love you and I would never consider anything with anybody else."

"I'm not jealous, and it's not you I'm worried about," Elizabeth said softly.

"Well, I'm going to have to be involved on some level, and I'm telling you not to worry. There's only one woman I want, and that's you." Henry reached over and took her hand, squeezing it. "I'm totally up for showing you just how much you're wanted if you need to know." She smiled.

Present

Thursday, Elizabeth walked into their brownstone with the garment bag slung over her shoulder. Henry sat in their shared office with his feet propped up on his desk. "Babe? It's 4:30. What are you doing home?" When he noticed the bag, a knowing smile crossed his face. "Going somewhere Madam Secretary?"

She flashed him her most innocent smile. "I decided to accompany you to your party tonight."

"You decided? Sudden change of heart about hobnobbing with the religious elite of the east coast?" Henry asked, his voice full of amusement.

"Exactly." She leaned over her husband and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "I'm going to shower." She walked away from him with her hips swinging and Henry couldn't keep the smile from his face. Jealous Elizabeth was super hot.

Elizabeth got ready in their room and Henry moved to Alison's room to change. When he stepped off the bottom stair in the kitchen, he stopped in his tracks.

Elizabeth was bent over the dishwasher, the shimmering black material molded to her ass. Henry swallowed thickly. When she stood, he saw that the dress, hitting her about 3 inches above the knee, was fitted and strapless with a deep v that cut down to within a couple inches of her belly button. The bodice and sleeves, made of lace, covered the shimmery material, which added the necessary element of presentability for a reception, but there was no doubt what her intent was. Elizabeth turned to gather the miscellaneous coffee cups from the island. Her hair was pinned back into some sort of twist and her makeup was impeccable. He wondered when it was that Elizabeth learned to do that smokey eye thing Alison was always talking about. She finished loading the dishwasher and he cleared his throat.

Elizabeth's head popped up and she smiled. "I was just tidying up. Are you ready Dr. McCord?" She moved around the end of the island and stepped into her heels. He grinned and offered her his hand. She placed hers in his, letting him lead them toward the foyer.

March 2007

Elizabeth was just making a few piles on her desk, lecture note for tomorrow's class, when there was a knock at the door. She sighed, her hope of leaving on time, evaporating before her. "Come in," she said, trying to keep the annoyance from her voice.

The door opened revealing Henry, and she immediately knew something was wrong. He stepped in and pushed the door closed behind him. "What is it?" she asked. "The kids?" Her heart pounded and she felt sick.

"No, no. Nothing like that. I just need to tell you something. But, first," he stepped in close, taking Elizabeth in his arms. He kissed her, softly at first, then with more intensity. When he slid his hand down on her ass, pulling her into him, she pushed him back.

"We're in my office. At work," she said. That look was still there. "Henry. Tell me what is going on."

"I just want you to know that I love you, and I would never be unfaithful to you." Henry watched as Elizabeth turned her head slightly, appraising him. "Something happened just a bit ago, and I don't want to take a chance on you hearing it from anyone else." Elizabeth's lips formed a thin line. This wasn't going to go well, not that he had expected it to. "Vera made a pass at me."

Her entire body tensed, "I knew it," she whispered. "What did she do?'

"That's not important, but I saw where it was going and I shut her down. I just wanted you to know it happened in case some story made its way back to you. You are my one and only."

"How do you know that it won't happen again?" Elizabeth asked.

"I think I pretty well took care of it, but from here on out, I'll make sure we aren't ever alone together. There isn't any real reason to be anyway." Henry brushed his thumb across her cheek. "Are you alright?"

"Thank you for telling me. I think. Next time, don't blow me off when I say there are piranhas in the water. You're quite the catch, but you're mine. And I don't like to share."

Present

The motorcade pulled up in front of the hotel. "I forgot to mention that you are fiercely stunning when you are in jealousy mode." Henry ran his fingertips from her clavicle down the lace covered v to the middle of her stomach. "So stunning."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she murmured, as she stepped out when Matt opened the door. "Thank you Matt," she said, stepping aside for Henry.

"Of course you do," Henry whispered. "You're wearing 5 inch stilettos and they are screaming 'fuck me.' Good news is, it's working."

Elizabeth offered an innocent smile. "I think there are people we need to chat with and crappy hors d'oeuvres to devour, and of course, that special someone we're all celebrating. I can't wait." Elizabeth shed her coat and handed it to the gentleman at the door. "Let's go."

They mingled and Elizabeth enjoyed seeing several of her former colleagues from UVA. She was actually having a decent time until she felt Vera Petrovic walk into the room. Just like so many years ago, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she sucked in a sharp breath. She turned to face the guest of honor. Vera looked much the same. She still had the same commanding presence and people were in awe of her, well, most people. Elizabeth plastered on a smile, and worked her way back across the room to Henry. She slipped her arm around Henry's back just as Vera started speaking.

"Henry, it's been such a long time." Vera leaned forward as though she was expecting a kiss on the cheek, but Henry reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"It's been quite a while. Seems like you are doing well. I enjoyed your last book. The plight of early Christians in Ephesus is particularly interesting."

"I could say equally remarkable things about your book Henry. And how are you doing-" she paused as though she couldn't quite come up with Elizabeth's name.

"It's Elizabeth, but in formal situations, people call me Madam Secretary." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Henry's jaw tense, she assumed it was an attempt to hold back laughter, so she dug her fingernails into his side, the smile still etched on her face.

"Well, Madam Secretary then." Vera turned her attention back to Henry. "Always a pleasure Dr. McCord." She took a step back. "Will I see you tomorrow after my lecture?"

Henry felt the nails still pressed to his side. "Unfortunately no. I have a meeting at the White House tomorrow. My presence is required. I just wanted to stop in tonight to say hello and wish you well."

"I do thank you." Vera's voice was saccharin sweet and made Elizabeth's stomach roll.

"Of course you do," Elizabeth replied, equally as sickening sweet. "Let's go Henry." She slipped her arm from around his back and put her hand in his. "May it be roughly the same amount of time before we see you again." She smiled and tugged Henry away.

Henry chuckled under his breath. "Geez, babe, I'm not sure how you feel about Vera."

"Hmm, I thought I was very well behaved. I didn't even call her names. But, I want her to know exactly who you belong to, and it isn't her. She stopped him in front of the door and smiled. "It's not often that we're almost the same height."

"Another thing I love about those heels," Henry smirked.

Elizabeth ran her hand up Henry's chest and let it settle on the nape of his neck. She leaned in, her lips barely touching his, and she whispered, "Now Dr. McCord, I think you should take me home and _own me_."

Closing the gap, he kissed her chastely. "_I love jealous Elizabeth."_


	2. Miss Janie

AN: I need some sort of coping mechanism to deal with the news of 10 episodes, so I'm posting this. Other people need to clean out their WIP files so I have something to read to distract me. Please! ;)

Chapter 2

Elizabeth and the nanny, Miss Janie, stood on the back deck watching the kids play in the backyard. Elizabeth had been back from Iraq for six months, the same amount of time she was gone. Most things had returned to normal, with only one glaring exception. It seemed just as she thought it, an opportunity presented itself for her to be slighted.

Two and a half year old Jason tripped in the grass and face planted in the yard. It was obvious that he wasn't truly hurt, but he needed comfort. Elizabeth darted off the deck, and raced across the yard to scoop up her crying son. "No!" Jason screamed shrilly. "Janie!" He kicked and screamed and writhed against Elizabeth until she let him down. He marched back across the yard to Miss Janie and held up his chubby arms.

Janie offered an apologetic glance at Elizabeth, who did her best to remain neutral. She nodded. Her son needed comfort, even if he preferred almost everyone to his own mother. Elizabeth watched longingly as Jason wrapped his arms around Janie, clinging to her, just as he'd once clung to Elizabeth.

She looked away quickly, begging the tears to stay at bay, trying to tamp down the jealousy that threatened to spill out. It wasn't Janie's fault that she'd taken on more responsibilities during the six months that Elizabeth was stationed in Iraq, helping Henry get the girls off to preschool and school a few days a week or spending the whole weekend when Henry had those couple of conferences he was required to attend.

It had been Henry and Janie that potty trained Jason in Elizabeth's absence. At the time she'd been thankful. He was ready and there was no reason to miss the window when, the usually very opinionated, Jason was compliant. Now though, it was just one more thing that she hadn't been around for and it pierced her heart.

In the days when she first returned home, Jason wouldn't even acknowledge her. He would hang back, clutching Henry's leg or he'd have to be pried off of Miss Janie so she could go home. The girls tried to camouflage it by always jumping in and asking their mom to help them fix their hair, read a book or make them a snack. Elizabeth grew wise to this pretty quickly, but let it continue as much for her own sanity as to keep the peace.

The third time Henry woke to an empty bed and found Elizabeth curled up in Jason's crib stroking his hair, whispering "I love yous," to their sleeping son, they moved him to a big boy bed, for Elizabeth's sake.

Now, she'd been home six months, and things were better, relatively speaking. Jason would let Elizabeth fill his cup or fix his plate at meals. She could give him a bath and read him a bedtime story as long as Henry wasn't home.

Elizabeth did her best to fight off the feelings of jealousy. She knew that Jason was young and he didn't understand and that he wasn't choosing others over her, with the intention of hurting her. The pain and guilt she felt was a byproduct of her time away. The fact that it was necessary time away was beside the point. This was just how it was. Each day she put on a brave face and did her best to ignore the slights.

It was in the early hours of a Saturday morning that Elizabeth found herself curled up on the couch going through an old suitcase where she had reports stored as reference for the new one she was writing. Elizabeth thought she heard the floor above her squeak, but then it seemed to be nothing, so she returned to her work. That was, until she was pulled from it altogether by the sniffling of her son.

"Jace? Baby what is it?" She pushed the papers off her lap and crossed the room to pick him up.

He wrapped his arms around her neck and broke out in heaving sobs. " No go mama! No go!"

"Baby. Mama's not going anywhere for a long time. I'm right here."

The look of indignance Jason gave her might have been humorous if he hadn't been so distraught. He kicked and fought to get down and stomped over to where she'd been sitting. "You do go," he cried, patting the suitcase that sat on the couch.

Confusion abounded as she struggled to figure out what her son meant. She moved over to him and placed him in her lap. "Mama's home baby. I'm not going away again."

He shook his head vehemently. "No. You take soo-cay. You go." He reached out and touched the suitcase. Jason looked back at her, his eyes wide with fear. "Take soo-cay and go."

She studied her son and she thought back to this suitcase sitting in the doorway before she left. How she'd hugged her babies and handed Jason to Miss Janie before picking up the luggage and walking out the door.

Upon her return, the suitcase sat untouched for two months until she was prepared to go through it and wash all of the fatigues and relive the heat and sand and-the other stuff, the stuff she didn't talk about for quite a while. Jason once tossed his ball and it landed in the same corner and no one could understand why he wouldn't just go pick it up. Eventually Stevie got the ball and handed it to him. How did she not see what was going on?

Over the past few months, it moved from place to place and now that Elizabeth understood, she could remember times when Jason broke down sobbing and no one knew why. She held him tight. "No baby. Look. It's just papers. We'll put it away. The suitcase is getting put away because I'm staying home." She swept him back upstairs and lay down with him.

"No go, mama. Stay wiff me." His chubby hands clutched her shirt as he heaved shuddered breaths. Elizabeth held Jason until he went back to sleep. Then she carefully slipped from the bed.

Henry woke to the sounds of crashing in the attic above him. Within seconds, Henry's head popped through the opening. "What are you doing? It's 6:30 in the morning."

It's the suitcase. He associates the suitcase with me leaving." Henry looked blankly, not following. "Jason! The suitcase has been out this whole time, so he's just been waiting for me to leave again."

"Oh. Wow. Who would have thought?" Elizabeth told the story and Henry helped return the item to it's normal storage spot and they came downstairs.

When Jason woke up, he was a different child. He searched all of the main living areas and not finding the suitcase, he visibly relaxed. He ate breakfast cuddled on Elizabeth's lap and didn't move from her side all day, even insisting that she nap with him.

Elizabeth was worried what Monday morning would bring when she had to leave for work, but she was pleasantly surprised when Jason completely ignored Miss Janie's arrival. Janie set about helping Stevie get her shoes on, but shot Elizabeth a look from across the room, who was happily packing the girls' lunches.

Janie caught Elizabeth in the laundry room. "Jason? He's better."

"He is." Elizabeth quickly relayed the story and then looked sheepishly at Janie. "I want to apologize. I've been so very jealous of you and it was never your fault. I rationally knew that, but I didn't handle it very well. It was just really hard to see Jason choose you again and again. Please forgive me."

Much to her surprise, Janie swept Elizabeth into a hug. "I only ever felt bad that it was happening. I'm glad you've figured it out and our Jason is back to being a momma's boy." Elizabeth grinned through her tears, giving thanks that Janie was part of their lives.

She walked back into the living room where Jason played with his large collection of Hot Elizabeth knelt beside him. "Jace, honey, Mama's going to work now. Janie is in the kitchen. I'll be back tonight, okay. His eyes shot up and darted around the room. Her work things sat on the couch with her purse.

Jumping up from his spot, he ran over to the couch and tugged her briefcase to the edge. "This one," he said.

"Yes, baby. This one." She picked him up and gave him a big hug. "Have fun with Janie today."

He smiled and returned to his game and Elizabeth left for work feeling lighter than she had in the past year.


End file.
